This study explores the potential effects of the aerodynamic parameters on the performance of the galloping piezoelectric energy harvester. By considering the geometric configurations, a bluff body cross-sectional shape evolution approach is proposed using Boolean operations on the polygons and forty-eight different cross-sectional shapes with the protruding and depressed features are considered. Computational fluid dynamics is employed to perform a time-varying simulation of the aerodynamic characteristics. The effects of the aerodynamic parameters on performance are investigated computationally using a distributed parameter electromechanical coupling model. The critical wind speed, maximum output power, and the slope of the power versus wind speed curve are introduced as the performance evaluation parameters. The results show that the rear-side protruding feature and the top-side and bottom-side depressed feature have significant potential to enhance the performance. Furthermore, a symmetrical structure of the cross-sectional shape in the downstream direction should be prioritized over asymmetric designs.

This study explores the potential effect of a cross-sectional shape with an arcuate protruding and depressed features on the performance. The geometric configurations include two feature types (protruding and depressed), each with six distinct perimeter arrangements and three depths per arrangement, yielding thirty-six different cross-sectional shapes for systematic evaluation. The aerodynamic characteristics and electrical performance are numerically analyzed, using a computational fluid dynamics model and a distributed parameter electromechanical coupling model, respectively. A smooth protruding feature on the front, top, or bottom side suppresses the electrical output; however, when located on the rear side, it significantly increases the slope of the power versus wind speed curve. Depressed features on the rear, top, or bottom side only reduce the critical wind speed and the power enhancement positively correlates with the feature depth. Compared to a square, a harvester with depressed feature on both top and bottom sides exhibits a significant jump in power at the critical wind speed, greatly improving the power. These findings provide important design guidelines for structural optimization of galloping piezoelectric energy harvesters, enabling them to match the wind energy distribution characteristics of specific regions with optimal performance.